Breast Revision Surgery

When is Breast Implant Revision Surgery Necessary?

Breast Revision Surgery

Woman examining her breasts for cancer, pain on female body, studio shot on gray background Breast implant revision surgery is an important consideration for individuals who have previously undergone breast augmentation. While breast implants are typically long-lasting, you may want or need adjustments over time. This procedure can address various issues, including implant malfunction, changes in aesthetic preferences, or complications such as capsular contracture.

Understanding when breast implant revision surgery is necessary can help you make an informed decision about your health and appearance. Calgary, AB, plastic surgeon Dr. Ryan C. Frank will discuss your options and help develop a plan of action to achieve the best result for your health and appearance. Let’s explore when you might consider this procedure.

Why Consider Breast Implant Revision?

Here are some common reasons why you might need breast implant revision surgery:

  • Implant Rupture: Sometimes, implants can rupture due to wear and tear or other factors requiring replacement.
  • Capsular Contracture: Capsular contracture occurs when the scar tissue around the breast implant tightens, leading to discomfort or changes in breast shape.
  • Changes in Breast Appearance: Over time, your body may change, affecting the appearance of your breasts. Revision surgery can address these changes.
  • Implant Malposition: If your implants shift position or become asymmetrical, revision surgery can help correct these issues.
  • Switching Implant Types: Some patients may wish to switch fromsaline to silicone implants or vice versa for personal preference or to address specific concerns.
  • Implant Rupture or Deflation: Implant rupture or deflation can occur due to trauma, normal wear and tear, or manufacturing defects.
  • Dissatisfaction with Previous Results: If you’re unhappy with the results of a previous breast augmentation surgery, revision surgery offers an opportunity to achieve your desired outcome.

Consultation and Evaluation

If you’re thinking about redoing your breast implants, it’s important to talk to a skilled plastic surgeon. During your consultation, Dr. Frank will:

  • Review your medical history and current concerns.
  • Perform a physical exam to evaluate the condition of your implants and surrounding breast tissue.
  • Discuss your goals and expectations for the revision surgery.

The Revision Surgery Process

If breast implant revision surgery is deemed necessary, here’s what you can expect:

  • Preparation: You’ll receive instructions on preparing for surgery, including any necessary pre-operative tests.
  • Surgery: Your surgeon performs the procedure under anesthesia. He will make incisions to access the implants, remove or replace them as needed, and address any other concerns.
  • Recovery: After surgery, you’ll need some time to recover. We will provide post-operative care and schedule follow-up appointments.

Schedule a Breast Implant Revision Consultation in Calgary

If you’re experiencing issues with your breast implants or are considering a change, don’t hesitate to contact the practice of Ryan Frank, MD, FRCS (C), a Plastic Surgeon in Calgary, Canada. Schedule your consultation by calling 403-245-1228 today. Take the first step toward loving your breast implants again.

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Is Breast Implant Revision Right for You?

Breast Revision Surgery

Confident,Young,Woman,Wearing,Underwear,In,A,Studio.,Anonymous,Young Whether you want to change your size or type of implants, replace old implants, or address dissatisfaction with a prior breast augmentation procedure, breast implant revision may be your solution.

Regardless of why you want a breast implant revision, Dr. Ryan Frank takes great care to ensure he provides the results that best meet your expectations. His primary goal for each procedure is a safe, satisfying outcome for each patient.

Breast augmentations are intended to help you feel comfortable and confident in your appearance. If that’s no longer the case, consider what a breast implant revision can do for you.

How Do Implants Change Over Time?

The size and shape of your breasts will continue to change over time as a natural part of the aging process, even after you get implants. Additional factors that can affect their appearance include changes in weight and hormones. These changes may eventually prompt you to consider a breast implant revision.

Modern implants have no expiration date, but you shouldn’t expect them to last a lifetime. On average, breast implants can last between 10 and 20 years, although they can last longer than that. You may also want to have them replaced earlier due to changes in your cosmetic preferences or to address complications.

Why Have a Breast Implant Revision?

Breast augmentation has consistently remained one of the most common plastic surgery procedures, largely due to its high satisfaction rate. However, certain conditions can cause patients to consider breast implant revision.

For example, bottoming out, which occurs when the implants drop noticeably on the chest, can cause the implants to appear too low and the nipples too high. In addition, this process can cause the implants to bulge or elongate. The best solution is often to position the implant higher on the chest with an acellular dermal matrix, resulting in a more natural, youthful shape.

How Dr. Frank Can Help

If you’re unsatisfied with your breast implants, contact the office of Dr. Ryan Frank in Calgary, AB, at (403) 245-1228 or submit an online contact form. Dr. Frank can answer your breast implant revision questions or provide other solutions.

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Breast Revision Surgery

Breast Revision Surgery

sexy young woman model in sexy dressDr. Frank has many new patients come see him seeking a revision procedure for their breast augmentation. There are various reasons why a patient may seek revision surgery. Here are the main issues to be addressed with these procedures.

Capsular contracture

When an implant is placed into the body, there is a reaction, as you would assume. This reaction is called the “capsule” and it is made up of calcified cells and scar tissue. If this capsule becomes very thick and causes the implant to shift or the breast to feel very firm, or if there is pain from the constricting scar tissue, this is called capsular contracture. If the capsule is very calcified, Dr. Frank will remove it along with the implant. If it isn’t, he usually will leave it in place. If there is a rupture of a silicone implant, the capsule may contain silicone shell fragments, silicone gel, and inflammatory cells that all need to be removed prior to placing new implants. This is especially the case with silicone implants older than 15 years.

Changing the implant size

Sometimes a patient comes to Dr. Frank unhappy with her choice of implant size. The first thing he advises is to wait one full year before opting to make a change. This allows for any swelling to fully subside and for the implants to settle. If the patient still wants to change her implant size, Dr. Frank will enter through the original incision on each breast. If a larger implant is desired, he will increase the size of the pocket, the space in the breast to hold the implant. If the patient seeks smaller implants, he will reduce the size of the pocket with sutures to fit the smaller implants. In cases of reduction, a breast lift may be done in conjunction with the implant revision to remove any sagging tissue and possibly relocate the nipples.

Implant position

Sometimes a less experienced surgeon will place the implant pockets either too far away or too close together and the patient is not happy with the placement. In these cases, Dr. Frank will use scar tissue from the capsule and will reconstruct new pockets for the implants in better positions.

Implant rippling

Implant rippling is usually only a problem that occurs with saline implants. It happens when the implants are placed atop the chest muscle, and they show rippling or even the edges of the implants can be felt. In these cases, Dr. Frank enters through the original incision and replaces the implants with better muscle coverage. This may involve switching implant types and/or placing them in new breast pockets.

Implant removal

When a patient decides she no longer wants to have her implants, they are removed through the same incisions. Dr. Frank will also remove the capsule if it is calcified and thick. In most cases, a breast lift will be recommended because the skin has stretched with the implant size. A lift will remove this excess skin and breast tissue and bring the smaller breasts back up higher on the chest.

While breast augmentation is a life-changing procedure, the results may not be what the patient had hoped for. Of course, expectations need to be realistic. But this is another reason to opt for a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience, such as Dr. Frank, to perform the surgery. Do your research beforehand and the odds are you’ll be happy with your results.

Are you interested in breast augmentation, or do you have questions about a procedure performed elsewhere? Call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 to schedule a consultation.

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Breast Implant Revision

Breast Revision Surgery

breast revision surgery calgary abBreast augmentation isn’t a perfect science, and there are times when a patient desires implant revision surgery. Whether she decided she would simply like larger implants or whether there has been some other issue, breast revision surgery is generally easier than the original surgery. This is because often the incisions can be made on the same spot as the original incisions.

To learn more about breast revision surgery with Dr. Frank in Calgary AB, call today to schedule a consultation. Below are some reasons Dr. Frank performs revision surgery, and the approach taken for each.

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Capsular Contracture

Besides possible rupturing of the implant, this is the main side effect of breast augmentation. When an implant is placed into the body, there is a reaction, as you would assume. This reaction is called the “capsule” and it is made up of calcified cells and scar tissue. If this capsule becomes very thick and causes the implant to shift or the breast to feel very firm, or if there is pain from the constricting scar tissue, this is called capsular contracture. When this occurs, breast revision surgery is required. If the capsule is very calcified, Dr. Frank will remove it along with the implant. If that hasn’t happened, he may leave the capsule. If there is a rupture of a silicone implant, the capsule may contain silicone shell fragments, silicone gel, and inflammatory cells that all need to be removed prior to placing new implants.

Changing the Implant Size

Sometimes a woman decides she would like a different size implant. This isn’t a decision that should be made soon after surgery, however. Dr. Frank generally advises patients to wait one full year before deciding to make a change. This will allow the implants to fully settle into their final position, and any residual swelling will have passed by then. If the patient still wants to change her implant size, Dr. Frank will perform breast revision surgery and will enter through the original incision. If a larger implant is desired, he will increase the size of the pocket, the space in the breast to hold the implant. If the patient seeks smaller implants, the size of the pocket is reduced with sutures to fit the smaller implants. In cases of reduction, a breast lift may need to be done in conjunction with the breast implant revision to remove any sagging tissue and possibly relocate the nipples.

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Implant Position

Sometimes a less experienced surgeon will place the implant pockets either too far away or too close together and the patient doesn’t like the look. In these cases, the scar tissue from the capsule can be used to reconstruct new pockets in better positions.

Implant Rippling

Implant rippling is usually a result of saline implants that have been placed atop the chest muscle. There isn’t enough skin and tissue to cover the implant, and rippling occurs. Sometimes the edge of the implant may even be able to be felt. During breast revision surgery, Dr. Frank will enter through the original incisions and replace the implants with better muscle coverage. This may involve switching implant types and/or placing them in new breast pockets. Saline gel implants have less occurrence of rippling.

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Implant Removal

When a patient decides she no longer wants to have her implants, they are removed through the same incisions. Dr. Frank will also remove the capsule if it is calcified and thick. In most cases, he will recommend a breast lift at the same time to remove excess sagging skin and breast tissue that were created with the larger breasts when they had implants.

Breast augmentation is major surgery. It’s not something to trust to a low-ball estimate or an inexperienced practitioner. Dr. Frank is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience. Do your research beforehand and the odds are you’ll be happy with your results.

If you have questions about possibly breast revision surgery, or anything to do with implants and augmentation, don’t hesitate to call our office at (403) 245-1228. Dr. Ryan Frank serves patients in Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, and Okotoks, AB, CA.

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Are You Considering Revision?

Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision Surgery

Breast-Implant Revision Surgery Calgary, CABreast augmentation has been a leading cosmetic surgery for many years. As trends have changed regarding what is deemed “beautiful,” some women have sought care to revise and further refine their shape with breast augmentation revision. This secondary procedure may be performed for some reasons, such as:

  • Rippling.
  • Changes to profile due to breastfeeding or age.
  • Desired size change.

It is no secret that breast revision surgery is an intricate matter. The procedure must account for scar tissue and the delicate nature of the implants that are in place. An experienced surgeon like Dr. Frank recognizes the nuances of revision surgery that may limit size increases or positioning. Our staff does our best to walk patients through their revision journey from start to beyond completion to ensure a satisfactory outcome.

What You Need To Know

Breast revision surgery is no less complex than breast augmentation. Having had a previous surgery does not mean that recovery will be any easier. That being said, it also will not be any worse.

Patients can expect:

  • To feel groggy from anesthesia upon waking in the recovery room. A member of the surgical staff will be in the room to welcome the waking patient.
  • Prescription pain medication will need to be taken prior to the depletion of anesthesia. This way, tenderness or discomfort is easier to manage.
  • The torso will need to be propped with pillows or wedges for optimal support. A compression garment will also be worn for several days.
  • It is beneficial to stay in Calgary rather than fly or drive hours after breast revision. Follow-up is necessary to approve travel, so we may recommend scheduling a two-week stay, or purchasing a flexible return ticket.
  • New breast implants settle into their resting position over several weeks. During this time, tingling, numbness, swelling and bruising will gradually diminish.
  • Similar to initial breast augmentation, breast revision requires a short wait prior to resuming exercise and normal work habits.

There is no reason to live with breast shape or size that you do not love. Learn more about breast revision surgery when you call (403) 245-1228.

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